And, information about the people who hold occupational licenses and licenses to operate related businesses is readily available to the public, if they know where to look.

“We encourage all New Yorkers to make sure a person is licensed in New York before conducting business with them,” said Chris Valens, spokesman for the Department of State’s Division of Licensing Services.

Sunshine Week’s focus is not just about prying information out of government — it’s also about information government makes available to us and informing people about how to use it.

Through licensing, inspections and enforcement actions, the Division of Licensing Services oversees the activities of more than 800,000 individuals who hold licenses in the state.

“In general, licensing requirements are imposed due to concerns about public health, safety and welfare,” said Valens.

The agency develops licensing exams and curriculum, approves qualifying and continuing education courses, accepts proof of bonding and insurance and investigates and enforces state law.

To that end, information about various enforcement actions are available online, as is a database searchable by name that shows whether someone holds the appropriate license.

Hairstylists, barbers

Of the occupations licensed by the Division of Licensing Services, the most utilized by the public may be those of appearance enhancement professionals and of barbers.

“So much of what we do is related to health and safety,” said Maria Fustanio, director of education at Shear Ego International School in Irondequoit. A licensed cosmetologist and barber, as well as an educator, Fustanio is well aware of the potential hazards of her industry — and they go much deeper than a bad haircut or color job.

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“In our programs, you have to learn anatomy and chemistry because you deal with cosmetics, how to deal with electricity near water, and you also need to be educated about infectious disease,” she said. “We work with the public and we need to know about proper sanitation of hands, clippers, razors and how to handle all of our tools properly.”

A review of the state database on administrative decisions levying fines or other sanctions against local businesses that specialize in appearance enhancement shows those sanctions frequently come about following violations of sanitation procedures. A Monroe Avenue nail salon was fined $750 in 2010 for having used emery boards at client stations, unsanitizable neck dusters and for improperly storing gallon jugs of acetone.

That same year, a Portland Avenue business was shut down for operating as a barbershop without a license.

“We are dealing with the public and things we do can hurt them,” Fustanio said. “For example — for years, people just did nails in their homes and then we had a big outbreak of nail infections and fungus.”

Rivajeta René, who worked as a contract software analyst with Xerox Corp. before deciding to go to Shear Ego and learn cosmetology, said the licensing requirements are rigorous.

“There is so much in-depth theory,” she said. “You need to know your science, your anatomy, your chemistry. There’s this thought out there that anybody can just do this, but that’s not how it is at all. There is a lot we need to know.”

6,000 complaints

According to records provided by the Division of Licensing Services, the agency handled more than 6,000 complaints lodged against license holders in 2010 and 2011.

Most commonly in those years, complaints were made against those in the real estate discipline, followed by complaints against security guards.

All complaints are investigated, said Valens. If the license holder is found in violation of the law, they’re called before an administrative judge to defend themselves against the charge.

Sometimes, the agency’s investigations lead to important new distinctions in the law, as it did in 2010, when complaints against a downstate appearance enhancement business led to a decision that laser and non-ablative radio-frequency procedures (used to “rejuvenate” facial or other skin) are the practice of medicine. The Aurora decision — named for a plantiff in the case — barred appearance enhancement licensees from performing such procedures.

Valens said the agency revoked or suspended 166 licenses in 2010 and 83 licenses in 2011.